Vending device.



C. E. BRIDGES.

VENDING DEVICE.

APPLICATJQN FILED NOV. 3. 1911.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0. WASHINGTON, D. c.

c. E. BRIDGES. VENDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-3.1911.

1,152,931. Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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IOLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c. v

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CHARLES E. BRIDGES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINDIS, ASSIGNOR, T AUTGSALES GUM AND CHOCOLATE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VENDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7,1915.

Application filed November 3, 1311. Serial No. 658,379.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAnLns E. BRIDGES, a citizen of the United States, residing at 1537 No. WVhipple street, Chicago, Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vending Devices, of which the following is a specification.

.his invention relates to coin-controlled vending devices, and more especially to a device adapted to vend small articles or packages of merchandise by a simple and effective operation of the parts; such operation requiring the introduction of a coin into the device to supply one of the elements of the operative parts. I

A. device made in accordance with the present invention and embodying thejprinciples thereof, is hereinafter described and claimed and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation with the detachable front wall or cover of the de vice removed to show the interior thereof,

and with portions of the interior parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on line 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section on the diagonal line 3 of Fig. 4:, looking upward or in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on line a of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of Fig. 1, showing the parts in an altered position. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the parts in a third position. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the rocking shelf, constituting a part of the device, detached therefrom. Fig. 8 is a section on line 8 of Fig. 7 V

As shown in said drawings, the device comprises in general a suitable inclosure or housing in which are arranged one or more upright shafts adapted to support columns of the packages tobe vended, together with suitable vending means arranged below said shafts for the purpose of removlngjthe pack- I ages therefrom a predetermined number at a time. Coins are introduced into the device near the bottom thereof whence they fall upon an inclined rockingshelf, being engaged by the latter in such manner as to extend beyond the free margin thereof. Said shelf is arranged to be'rocked or tilted by means of an extension of its supporting shaft through a side wall of the boX and a suitable handle, whereby the coins which are retained by it will pass beneath the shafts and remove the articles therefrom ,the parts be ng'so arranged that, upon the return of said .shelf to its first position, the coins will again engage with the articles to be vended, but in such manner as to release the coins from the shelf and drop them into the interlor of the device. These parts, together with other parts of the device, will be more particularly described hereinafter.

The housing or inclosure comprises a substantially rectangular sided box 10 including side walls 11 and 12, a back wall 13, top and bottom walls 1 1 and 15 respectively, and a removable front wall or coverfl6. The latter terminates some distance above the bottom wall or base 15, leaving an opening into the interior of the box which is substantially covered by a curved cover plate or apron 18; thelatter likewise terminating above the base 15 to leave a small opening 19 (Fig. 1) for the delivery of the articles. The side walls 11 and 12 .are widened at their lower portions and the forward margins of such widened portions are curved in outline to meet the apron 18, which latter is provided with small openings in its upper corners to engage with short pins 20, 20 extending radially outward from the circumferences of the curved portions of said walls 11 and 12. The lower edge of the apron 18 is bentinto the form of a hook to engage with a horizontal bar or rod 23 extending across the lower portion of the housing immediately above the opening 19. The lower edge ofthe removable cover 16 rests upon the upper margin of said curved apron 18, being formed with afdepending flange 25 to engage with'the edge of saidapron and secure the lower margin of such cover 16 in place; its upper margin being securely. fastened by means of a lock 26, having a bolt 27 which extends upward intoa correspond ingly shaped recess in the top 14. The center portion of the cover 16 may be provided with a pane of glass 30 through which the interior of the device may be observed. Within the inclosure 10 are arranged one or more package receptacles or shafts 81, shown here as three in number, adapted to support columns of the articles, 32, 32, to be vended. Each of these comprises a pair of channel-shaped members 33, 83, arranged with their open sides toward eachother and separated a small distance, wherebyonly the end portion of "each article is engaged by said channel-shaped members and the midopening 36 (Fig. 4) through which the articles in the vending operation of the device, may be pushed off the bottom 34 and out of the shafts. The six channel members 33 are supported in the housing 10 in any suitable manner, and, ashere shown, are attached to a pair of horizontal strips or hands 38, bent over'at their upper margins in the form of hooks 39 to engage with a pair of horizontal bars 40, which latter are fixed at their ends in the side walls of the housing. Said channel members are secured against lateral displacement by a pair of blocks 42, 42, secured to the walls 11 and 12.

A curved trough-shaped member 44, extending entirely across the lower portion of the box 10 and supported at its ends by a pair of blocks 45 attached to the end walls 11 and 12, divides the lower portion of the box horizontally and provides an upper coin receptacle 48; leaving the space below it accessible to the public for the delivery of the articles. The back wall of the member 44 rises to a sufficient height to meet the bottom walls 34 of the channel members 33, being bent horizontally to provide a number of shelves or ledges 50, corresponding to the number of channel members 33, and afford ing an additional means of support for the latter. Between each pair of channel memhers such horizontal extension of the member 44 is omitted in order to permit of the vending operation to be hereinafter de scribed. The articles are yieldingly restrained from lateral displacement from the shafts 31 by means of coil springs 52 at tached to the lower cross strip 38 and extending over the openings 36.

Referring now to the vending means for displacing the articles from the shafts 31, indicates an inclined shelf having its lower edge fixed rigidly to a shaft 61 arranged below the bottoms of the shafts 31, said shelf extending upward and forward toward the apron 18 and having its upper edge unsupported and free to rock backward and forward. The shaft 61 extends through the wall 12 of. the housing and is provided at its outer end with a hand wheel'or handle 63, by the rotation of which such shelf may be so rocked; the latter being yieldingly drawn forward by a coil spring 65 and lim ited in its oscillatory movement by the upright back wall of the member 44, above described, and by a pair of blocks or stops 68 fixed to the walls 11 and 12. The forward end of the spring 65 is attached to a cross bar 69 extending across the housing and attached at its ends to the blocks 68. The shelf 60 is normally maintained, by reason of the spring 65 and the stops 68, in its inclined position shown in Fig. 4, and may be rocked backward by means of the handle 63 above described. Such backward rocking will cause its upper edge to pass below the shafts 31, and means are provided thereby, upon the introduction of a suitable coin or coins into the device, such backward rocking will cause one or more of the articles to be displaced from the shafts 31. For such purpose, at a place on the upper margin of the shelf 60 corresponding to each of the vending shafts, the shelf 60 is widened to form a pair of projections 70, 70 (Fig. 7), the adjacent portions of which, as well as the adjacent margin of the shelf 60, are cut away to form a curved opening 72, between the projections 70 and extending into the shelf 60. In each projection 70, or-in the adjacent portion of the shelf 60 and immediately adjacent to the opening 72, is placed a short screw or rivet 74, 74, their distance apart being somewhat less than the diameter of the coin which it is desired shall operate the device. The screws 74 are of such length that the distance between the undersurface of their heads and the shelf 60 is slightly greater than the thickness of the coin which it is desired shall operate the device. Coins are introduced into the device through slots or openings 80 in the cross bar 69 whence they slide upon the shelf 60 between the pairs of screws 74, as shown by the dotted lines in Figs. 4 and 7. It being assumed that a coin 81 has been so introduced, the operation of the device is as fol lows: The shaft 61 is rotated backward by means of the handle 63 and the shelf 60 thereby rocked backward and beneath the shafts 31. This will cause the coin to engage with the bottom article 32, in the corresponding shaft, (Fig. 5) andpush it backward through the opening 36; whence it falls into the back part of the inclosure and upon a curved slide 83 which delivers to the public. Upon the subsequent release of the hand wheel 63 the spring 65 restores the shelf 60 to its first position, and in its forward movement the coin will engage with the article which has fallen upon the bottom 34 to take the place of the one vended; but such engagement will tend to displace the article in the opposite direction, which is prevented by the retaining channel members 33, and will therefore displace the coin instead (Fig. 6) from its engagement with the shelf 60 and cause it to drop into the trough 44. In order that the coin may engage with the shelf 60 in such manner as to remain seated thereupon and secure against a force acting upon its free edge in one direction, but not in the other, the coin is engaged upon its rear surface at substantially two points Cir upon its circumference, which points are below its horizontal diameter; and upon its front surface or face, by substantially two points which lie in a plane somewhat above the plane of the first mentioned two points Accordingly the screws 74 are spaced apart the distance above mentioned and their threaded portions are cut away (as indicated at 85, 85, in Figs. 7 and 8) in order that the distance between them may be accurately determined and may not be subsequently increased by wear of the coins upon such threaded portions of the screws. Also, portions of the curved edges of each opening 72 are beveled, as shown at 86, 86, in Figs. 7 and 8, in order to increase the effective diameter of such opening 72 and permit the coin to be displaced from the shelf 60 as above described.

In order to prevent the operation of the device with metal washers or rings, which is sometimes attempted, a rotative shaft 90, with depending hooks 91, 91, is mounted above the shelf 60 in suitable bracket memhere 92 secured to the walls 11 and 12; the hooks 91 being arranged immediately back of and corresponding to the slots 80. Upon the introduction of a ring or washer into the device and the attempted operation of the device as above described, such ring will be engaged with one of the hooks and withdrawn from the shelf 60, whence it will drop into the trough 44:; but upon the operation of the device with a coin or disk, which is not ring-shaped, the hooks 91 will be turned away, as shown in Fig. 5, allowing the disk to pass by. One end of the shaft is bent into the form of a crank-arm 94:, which acts by its weight to restore the shaft 90, and the hooks 91, to their original position, when released from engagement with a passing coin. Upon the underside of the cross bar 69 and adjacent to each slot 80, is also placed a small magnet 100, which will attract a slug or disk of iron or steel and also withdraw it from the shelf 60 upon the backward movement of the same.

While the operation of the device has been described hereinbefore as involving a single coin, a similar operation will take place if other coins are introduced at the same time through the other slots 80, and the handle 63 then turned, as before; it being evident that in such case each coin will engage with the bottom article in one of the shafts, and a number of articles, equal to the number of coins, will be vended. Also,

within the spirit of the present invention,

the parts may be otherwise proportioned, and otherwise arranged, as, for example, the coins might be allowed to extend a greater, or a less distance from the margin of the shelf 60, in order to engage with articles of different sizts and proportions in the vending shafts; or in order to permit each coin to displace one, or more than one article at each operation. Likewise, the device might be arranged for coins of different denominations to be introduced through the different slots 80 and engaged by the shelf 60, in order to vend packages of different values from the vending shafts; and the number of the latter, and of the parts corresponding thereto, might be increased or decreased.

I claim as my invention.

1. In a. coin-operated vending machine, a coin-carrier comprising a pivotally mounted shelf having an opening at its upper end, and a pair of headed studs secured at the sides of said opening to support the deposited coin by engaging the same at two points on the circumference below the diameter, said studs holding the coin in rigid position during the forward movement of the shelf, while during the return movement of the shelf said studs and said opening permit the coin to be tilted off the shelf.

2. In a coin-operated vending machine, a coin-carrier comprising a pivotally mounted shelf having an opening at its upper end,

and a pair of headed studs secured at the sides of said opening to support the deposited coin by engaging the same at two points on the circumference below the diameter, said studs holding the coin in rigid position during the forward movement of the shelf, while during the return movement of the shelf said studs and said opening permit the coin to be tilted off the shelf, said opening having beveled sides to increase its effective diameter and thereby facilitate the tilting of the coin.

3. In a coin-operated vending machine, the combination of a movable support for the deposited coin, and yieldable means arranged to withdraw a washer from said support when the same is operated, said means being moved into inoperative position by a proper coin on the support to allow said coin to remain on said support, whereby said coin is carried past said washer-catching means into operative position.

4. In a coin-operated vending machine, the combination of a movable support for the deposited coin, and a pivoted hook member so arranged in the path of the coin on said support as to be moved out of the way by a proper coin to allow the latter to remain on said support, whereby a proper coin is carried past said hook member into operative position, said member being adapted to enter the opening of a washer on said support and withdraw the same from the support when the latter is operated.

5. In a coin-operated vending machine, a coin-carrier comprising a pivotally mounted shelf having an opening at its upper end, and a pair of headed studs secured at the sides of said opening to support the deposited coin by engaging the same at two points on the circumference below the diameter, said studs holding the coin in rigid position during the forward movement of the shelf, while during the return movement of the shelf said studs and said opening permit the coin to be tilted off the shelf, in combination with yieldable means arranged to withdraw the washer from between said studs when said shelf is operated, said yieldable means being moved into inoperative position by a proper coin on said shelf to allow said coin to remain supported by said studs, whereby the coin is carried past said washer-catching means into operative position.

6. In a coin-operated vending machine, a coin-carrier comprising a pivotally mounted shelf having an opening at its upper end, and a pair of headed studs secured at the sides of said opening to support the deposited coin by engaging the same at two points on the circumference below the diameter,

said studs holding the coin in rigid position during the forward movement of the shelf, while during the return movement of the shelf said studs and said opening permit the coin to be tilted off the shelf, in combination with a pivoted hook member so arranged in the path of the coin on said shelf as to be moved out of the way by a proper coin to allow the latter to remain supported by said studs, whereby a proper coin is carried past said hook member into operative position, said member being adapted to enter the opening of a washer on said shelf and withdraw the same from between said studs when the shelf is operated.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses this 1st day of September 1911.

CHARLES E. BRIDGES.

Witnesses:

E. J. MOGARRY, OLGA CHRISTOFFERSEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

